Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has proposed a new requirement for police forces to utilize facial recognition software whenever suspects are identified via CCTV, smartphones, or smart doorbells. This initiative forms part of the Conservative Party’s ‘Take Back Our Streets’ strategy, which aims to improve the investigation of crimes and the recovery of stolen goods.
Philp argues that while the current facial recognition database—containing roughly 10 million images—is functional, it lacks a mandatory requirement for operational use. Beyond facial recognition, the proposal suggests that officers must automatically investigate when geo-tagged items like phones or cars ping their locations at a suspect’s address. He also insists that police actively monitor online marketplaces to reclaim stolen property.
The plan promises to recruit 10,000 additional officers, funded by an annual budget of £800 million. Furthermore, the Conservatives intend to restore the home secretary’s authority to set operational police guidance, effectively reversing a 2014 policy that transferred these powers to the College of Policing.
In response, a Home Office spokesperson emphasized that the current government is already investing heavily in national facial recognition systems and has seen a 22% increase in neighborhood officers. The spokesperson highlighted that the government is currently developing a new National Police Service to streamline national coordination while maintaining a focus on local frontline law enforcement.
